Brentford 2-0 Ipswich: Match Report

13 August 2016 04:35

Defender John Egan nets two goals on home debut as Brentford topple Ipswich

Two goals on his home debut for Brentford centre-back John Egan eased to a comfortable 2-0 win over Ipswich in a game of two halves at Griffin Park.

The big defender headed Lewis Macleod's precision corner powerfully home three minutes after the break.

And the former Gillingham man made it two eight minutes later when goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski could only parry Nico Yennaris' low drive into his path.

It was no more than the Bees deserved for a dominant second half after a shaky start which saw Mick McCarthy's side squander a hatful of half chances.

Last week's hat-trick debutant Grant Ward was the first to threaten, forcing Bees goalkeeper Daniel Bentley into a smart save with just two minutes gone.

The visitors dominated early on and Conor Grant's superb curling free-kick was just inches away from breaking the deadlock as it flew narrowly past the upright.

The Everton loanee went close again on 21 minutes when he raced down the left and cut in from the byline to force Bentley to tip onto his post with a low drive.

Town's leading goalscorer of last season Daryl Murphy headed the ensuing corner over the bar as Brentford maintained a toe-hold in the game.

The hosts' first chance came on the half-hour when Josh Clarke was slipped through by Ryan Woods, who blazed wide instead of rolling the ball into the path of the unmarked Scott Hogan in the middle.

Brentford came into the game as the break approached as they ditched the long-ball tactic to play the ball to feet.

And it almost reaped rewards as Hogan twisted and turned in the box and fed Macleod, whose low shot bobbled just wide of the far post.

Freddie Sears gave the Bees' defence a reminder of his potency almost on the whistle, when he fizzed an effort just wide after a run across the edge of the Brentford box.

But after the interval it was a different story as the hosts got the ball down and played football around their more direct visitors.

Egan was completely unmarked at the far post two minutes in and made no mistake, powering an unstoppable downward header just inside the post to give the Bialkowski no chance.

Macleod went close five minutes later with a blistering cross shot but the goalkeeper was equal to it.

But it was no more than a temporary reprieve for the Tractor Boys, who conceded possession to Yennaris on he edge of the box. His fierce shot was saved by the goalkeeper, but Egan was on the spot to coolly slot home into the empty goal.

Christophe Berra headed narrowly wide as Ipswich tried to claw their way back into the game, but it was Bialkowski at the other end who pulled off a fingertip stop to deny Macleod at close range.

Substitute Sam Saunders could have put an emphatic gloss on the scoreline with minutes remaining, but he failed to finish off a fluent five-man move when his effort cleared the stand.